So Shinkaruk was thrilled when the Canadiens acquired him this summer from the Calgary Flames in exchange for Kerby Rychel.

“I have a bunch of (Canadiens) jerseys at my house and my first bedsheets were were Montreal,” Shinkaruk said after practice Monday morning in Brossard. “So it’s definitely pretty cool … it’s a cool opportunity.”

Shinkaruk, who can play centre and left wing, got the opportunity to wear a Canadiens jersey with his name and No. 45 on the back for the first time Monday night at the Bell Centre in a pre-season game against the New Jersey Devils. Playing left wing on a line with Tomas Plekanec at centre and Charles Hudon on the right, Shinkaruk was held off the scoresheet. Shinkaruk was robbed by Devils goalie Eddie Lack with six minutes left in the first period after a beautiful pass from Plekanec in the slot and finished the game with 12:30 of ice time, two shots and a team-high five hits.

Shinkaruk’s father, Dr. Roger Shinkaruk, is the team dentist for the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen and a dental consultant for Hockey Canada.

The 5-foot-10, 181-pound Shinkaruk was selected by Vancouver in the first round (24th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft after posting 37-49-86 totals in 64 games with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. But things didn’t work out for Shinkaruk with the Canucks and he was traded to the Flames in February 2016 in exchange for Markus Granlund after playing only one game in the NHL and going pointless.

“I’m not too sure,” the 23-year-old said Monday morning when asked what went wrong in Vancouver. “They had a lot of good players and there was a lot of change-over in the front office and coaching staff and stuff. I’m not too sure. I’m grateful for Vancouver drafting me and giving me a chance to play in my first NHL game there. That’s kind of all behind me now and I’m looking forward to this camp.”

Shinkaruk played 14 games with the Flames over the last two seasons, posting 2-2-4 totals. In 63 games last season with the AHL’s Stockton Heat, he had 17-15-32 totals. Shinkaruk now has a one-year, two-way contract with the Canadiens that will pay him US$650,000 in the NHL and US$80,000 with the AHL’s Laval Rocket.

“I think for me my goal is pretty simple,” Shinkaruk said after Monday morning’s practice about training camp. “It’s to come in and play well and try and make this club. I feel good, I feel like I’m skating well. So at the end of the day, it’s up to me every day to make the most of the opportunity.

“For me, it’s just playing my game,” he added. “That’s the main thing I got to focus on. I’ve played a few years pro now, so I’m pretty used to this whole process. Just come in and be myself and compete every day. I think that I’m an offensive player who plays with speed. I like to attack the net and compete and get the puck to the net. I definitely like to use my skill, but I like to work hard and use my speed.”

When asked who his favourite Canadiens players were as a kid growing up on Montreal Ave., Shinkaruk said: “There was a lot. I think Alex Kovalev … I really liked him when he was here. For a little bit when Danny Brière was here I always liked watching him. I mean, there’s been a lot of great players here. It’s tough for me to kind of point my finger on one, but those are probably two that I liked watching.”

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